The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the

1851-4] TITUS GATES. 26 1
Titus Oates.
One of my letters of this period refers to a curious document,
discovered some time before amongst the records of the Post Office,
by which it appears that the infamous Titus Oates received, after the
Revolution, by way of recompense, it may be supposed, for the
tremendous flagellation he had undergone a few years before, and
certainly on recommendation from the House of Commons, a
pension of ^300 per annum, charged on the revenues of the Post
Office. Of this document, when first discovered, I had sent a copy
to Lord Macaulay, by whom it is noticed, though slightly, in his
account of the period.* The document, curious in itself, is too long
for insertion, but the following are extracts :
" We [William the Third] for divers good causes and consideracons
Us hereunto moveing . . . Have given and granted by these
. . . presents unto Titus Oates Doctor in Divinity his Executors
Administrators and Assignes one Annuity or yearly pencon of Three
hundred pounds of lawfull . . . English money payable out of
Our Revenues ... of the General Letter Office or Post office
. . . for the term of ninety-nine years . . . if he the said Titus
Oates and Rebecah his wife or either of them shall soe long live."
Funeral of the Duke of Wellington.
"November 22nd, 1852. The returns for the last week show that
the funeral of the Duke of Wellington on the i8th reduced the
letters despatched from London by the evening mails of that day by
about 100,000. The next day's mails were probably increased by
about 10,000."
* Macaulay's "History of England," Vol. v., p. 16 (edition in eight volumes.)
ED.